20 May 2011

Gosh this year is flying!!! We haven't quite been home from Darwin a week yet but its back to the same old routine already. I'm pleased to report that everything survived quite nicely while we were away - even Basil who got left inside accidentally - a good watering when we got home and he seems quite happy again. On Wednesday (the day after we got back) we had a good steady downpour which resulted in 8ml and today its been raining most of the day which has given us well over 20ml which is wonderful! I'm very hopeful that we'll get a good rainfall this winter which will hopefully keep severe water restrictions at bay for the summer.

We've had some quite strong winds along with the rain. Good old windy Perth - if it isn't the easterlies howling down the escarpment in the summer its the westerlies howling in off the ocean in the winter. The wind caused one of Orville's oranges to fall off so despite still being a touch green we cut it up. It was quite juicy but still a bit tart but not enough to stop the kids eating it. It was nice in spite of (or maybe because of) that slight tartness. The rest should just about be ready - maybe another fortnight? Clayton has pretty much lost all his leaves in the wind and I went outside this morning to find the Plane Tree and plums were losing heaps as well. I might have to get another compost bin at the rate they are going.

The three Magics and salvias out the front are looking good - obviously they haven't minded the move at all. Hopefully the salvias will spread nicely and cover that area of fence.

Back to fruit momentarily... there's a passionfruit on the vine. I was really surprised when Paul pointed it out, I didn't expect it to fruit in its first year.

The King Alfred's are now in - I've potted them up this year along with some of the poppy seedlings I've grown from the seed. I also found a bucket in the shed with an assortment of bulbs from last year so I'll have to throw them in somewhere as many of them have started sprouting already. And I've also popped a potato in the ground that was growing madly in the potato bin, so it shall be interesting to see how that goes.